With learning options diversifying to include an array of online platforms, many Australian universities have been facing the challenge of justifying a sprawling suburban existence. Tactical placemaking efforts have been looking to counter this trend, but their effectiveness has been limited, with some universities choosing to relocate to the CBD.
The new Exchange Innovation Precinct (Exchange) at Curtin University’s Bentley campus provides a model for supercharging flagging suburban campuses through dense mixed-use urbanism. Located towards the periphery of the campus, this dynamic precinct features four significant new buildings: a hotel by Six Degrees (completed in 2021), two student accommodation buildings designed by Nettleton Tribe (completed in 2022) and, most recently, the School of Design and Built Environment (SDBE) byvisitors from a regional bus hub through a vibrant retail strip, connecting the SDBE with the broader campus.
